Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-20
The Southern Boom,

The South is now attracting more at
tentiou than any other section of the
country. There is not Southern State
that is not enjoying greater prosperity
shan ever before in Its history. Those who
have carefully watched the growth OF the
South in popular favor within the last
two or three years are confident that she
has before her future OF almost unex-
ampled prosperity. Their confidence is
based upon the South's resources, which
are just beginning to be understood. The
iron and coal mines of Georgia, Alabama
and Tennessee are drawing millions of
dollars annually from the North. The
forests of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
aud Arkansas are attracting the lumber
men of the West. Southern railroads are
commanding large share of the attention
OF Wall street investors, and New Eng
land capital is gradually finding its way
to Southern manufacturing towns,
The New England manufacturer sees
| that the day is not distant when a large
part Of the cotton of the South will be
manufactured near the fields where il is
grown, and the iron manufacturers OF
Pennsylvania already begin to feel that
they will not be able much longer to COM
pete with the iron manufacturers of
| the South, whose advantages are so
much superior to theirs. The vast
forests Of the West show signs
Of exhaustion, and the forests of the
South are, therefore, constantly growing
in value. What wonder Is it, therefore,
that Coutherus p ailroadz shouId ha raoord =
ed as Offering splendid opportunities for in
vestmenti The territory from which they
draw their support is capable of wonder
full development. They are paying prop
| critics now, but how much greater Will
| their value be when the splendid posi-
| bilities OF the South, made apparent by
| the aid Of increasing capital and grow
| ing population, are more fully realized
1t is true that in portions of the South
there are complaints that there are no in O..
dications of more prosperous times, yet
the same complaints were heard in the
West when that section of the country
was having a phenomenal development,
and they are heard there now. There has
not been great rise in the value Of farm
ing lands in any of the Southern States,
except in Florida and Texas and In par
ticular localities in the other States, but
thatls because there has not yet been a
large immigration to the agricultural sec
tions. AS the towns grow, however, the
demand for land will increase. Even now
the farmers are much better off than they
were few years ago, because they can
obtain money on much more favorable
terms. In little while the inquiry for
farming lands all over the South will be
something like it is In Florida now.
A few years ago many Northern mer-
chants paid little or no attention to South
ern trade, aud some of them wouldn't
have anything to do with it. Now they
not only accept it gladly, but they beg
for it. When the press first began to
sound the praises of the South it excit ed
only incredulous smiles at the North. at
last the truth is being acknowledged.
What the future Of the South is to be no
one can predict with any degree of GER
tslnty. 1t is beyond question, however,
that her prosperity will be permanent
and marvellous, because it re SITS upon a
| solid foundation.